Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Discuss
w What do you think is a forest?
w If someone grew lots of trees close to each other, would
this become a forest?
Find out and write
w Other than trees what
all is there in a forest?
w Do all forests have similar
types of trees? How many
trees can you identify?
Nitin Upadhaye
w Suryamani says, “If the
forests are not there, we
too will not remain.” Why so?
Growing Up
Suryamani loves the forest since she was a child. She would not take
the direct road to school, but would choose the path through the forest.
Suryamani’s father had a small field. Her family used to collect leaves
and herbs from the forest and sell these in the bazaar. Her mother would
weave baskets from bamboo or make leaf plates out of the fallen leaves.
But now no one can pick up a single leaf from the forest.
That is since Shambhu the contractor came there. The people of
Suryamani’s village were afraid of the contractor. Everyone except
Budhiyamai. She would say, “We the people of this forest have a right
over it. We look after our forests, we don't cut trees like these contractors
do. The forest is like our ‘collective bank’ – not yours or mine alone. We
take from it only as much as we need. We don’t use up all our wealth.”
Teacher’s Note : It would be useful to begin this lesson with a discussion about
the lives of forest-dwellers and their relationship with the forest. Also about who
a contractor is and what is a contract. This lesson draws upon the true story of
Suryamani, whose organisation works on these issues. Discussions can also
include similar organisations or people working to save forests and forest people
in your area.
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Suryanani’s father could no longer support the family on
the small land. He moved to the town in search of work. But
things did not improve. Sometimes there would be no food in
the house. At times Maniya Chacha (uncle) would send some
grain from his small shop to Suryamani’s house.
Chacha tried hard and got admission for Suryamani in the
school in Bishanpur. Here they would not have to pay for the
fees, uniforms and books. Suryamani would have to stay there
and study. Suryamani didn't want to leave her village and
forest. But Maniya Chacha was firm. “If you do not study,
what will you do? Go hungry?” Suryamani would argue, “Why
should I go hungry? The jungle is there to help!” Chacha tried
to explain, “But we are being moved away from our forests.
Even the forests are disappearing – in their place mines are
being dug, dams are being built. Believe me, it is important for
you to study, to understand about the laws. Maybe then you
can help to save our forests”. Young Suryamani listened, and
tried to understand some of what he said.
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Suryamani’s journey
Suryamani was filled with joy on seeing the school at
Bishanpur. The school was near a thick forest. Suryamani
studied hard and passed her B.A. after getting a scholarship.
She was the first girl in the village to do this. While
she was in college she met Vasavi didi, a
journalist. Suryamani soon joined her to work
for the Jharkhand Jungle Bachao Andolan
Nitin Upadhaya
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Suryamani’s Torang
Suryamani was 21 when
she opened a centre, with
the help of Vasavi didi
and others. She called it
‘Torang’, which means
jungle in the Kuduk
Nitin Upadhaya
language. Suryamani
wanted that on festivals
people should sing their own songs. They should not forget
their music and should enjoy wearing their traditional
clothes. Children should also learn about herbs,
medicines, and the art of making things from bamboo.
Children should learn the language of school but must
link it with their own language. All this happens in the
‘Torang’ centre. Many special books about the Kuduk
community and other adivasis have been collected. Flutes
and different types of drums are also kept there.
Whenever something is unfair, or if someone is afraid
that his land and livelihood would be taken away, they
turn to Suryamani. Suryamani fights for everyone’s rights.
Suryamani and Bijoy have got married and work
together. Today their work is praised by many people.
She is invited, even to other countries, to share her
experiences. People of her area are also raising their voice
for a new forest law.
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Think
w Do you know of any one who works to save forests?
w What is your dream? What will you do to make your dream
come true?
w Collect reports about forests from newspapers. Did you
find any news about how the cutting down of forests affects
the weather? How?
w In ‘Torang’ Suryamani does a lot to keep the Kuduk music,
dance and traditions alive. Would you like to do something
like this for your community? What would you like to
keep alive?
A forest is everything for us adivasis. We can’t live away from the forests
even for a day. Government has started many projects in the name of
development – dams and factories are being built. Forests, which are ours
are being taken away from us. Because of these projects, we need to think
where the forest people will go and what will happen to their livelihood?
Where will the lakhs of animals living in the forests go? If there are no
forests, and we dig out our lands for minerals like aluminium, what will be
left? Only polluted air, water, and miles and miles of barren land...
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Very thick forest
Less thick forest
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w You have read Sikhya’s letter. Look for Orissa in the map.
w Is there a sea close to Orissa? How did you find out?
w Which are the states which have the sea on one side?
w Where is Suryamani’s state Jharkhand on the map?
w Where are forests on the map? How will you find these?
w How can you find out which states have very thick forests
and which have less thick forests?
w For someone in Madhya Pradesh, in which direction would
the country’s thickest forests be? Name those states.
Lottery for farming in
Mizoram
You read about the forests of
Jharkhand in Suryamani’s
story. Now read about forests
on the hills of Mizoram. See
how people live there, and
Daman Singh
Ding, Ding, Ding.... As soon as the school bell rang Lawmte-aa, Dingi,
Dingima picked their bags and hurried home. On the way they stopped
to drink water from a stream in a cup made of bamboo which was kept
there. Today not only the children, even ‘Saima Sir’ was in a hurry to
get back. Today there would be a special meeting of the Village Council
(Panchayat). At the meeting there would be a lottery to decide which
family will get how much land for farming. The land belongs to the
whole village, not to separate people. So they take turns to do farming
on different parts of the land.
A beautiful pot made of bamboo was shaken well. One chit was
taken out. Saima Sir’s family got the first chance. He said, “I am happy
that my family gets to choose first. But, this year we cannot take more
land. Last year I had taken more and was not able to farm it well. After
my sister Jhiri got married and went away it is difficult to manage
farming alone.”
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Saima Sir asked for ‘three tin’ of land. Little Mathini asked, “ What
is three tin of land? Chamui explained, “The land on which we grow
one tin of seeds is called one tin of land.” One by one, the village
families got their piece of land for farming.
Find out
w Which are the states around Mizoram?
w Chamui said they measure land using tin. Which are the
other ways of measuring land?
w Returning from school, children drank water in a bamboo
cup. Who do you think would have made this cup and
kept it in the forest? Why?
w What could be done to save forests?
Jhoom farming
Jhoom farming is very interesting. After cutting one crop, the land is
left as it is for some years. Nothing is grown there. The bamboo or
weeds which grow on that land are not pulled out. They are cut and
burnt. The ash makes the land fertile. While burning, care is taken so
that the fire does not spread to the other parts of the forest. When the
land is ready for farming it is lightly dug up, not ploughed. Seeds are
dropped on it. In one farm different types of crops like maize, vegetables,
chillies, rice can be grown.
Weeds and other unwanted plants are also not pulled out, they are
just cut. So that they get mixed with the soil. This also helps in
making the soil fertile. If some family is not able to do farming on
time, others help them and are given food.
Teacher's Note : There can be some discussion about the hilly terrain of the
North East, and the state of Mizoram, and also the unique system of jhoom farming
followed there.
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The main crop here is rice.
After it is cut, it is difficult to
take it home. There are no
roads, only hilly paths. People
have to carry the crop on their
backs. This takes many weeks.
When the work is over the
entire village celebrates. People
get together to cook and eat, sing
Daman Singh
and dance. They do their special ‘cheraw’ dance. In this dance people
sit in pairs in front of each other, holding bamboo sticks on the ground.
As the drum beats, the bamboos are beaten to the ground. Dancers
step in and out of the bamboo sticks, and dance to the beat.
w Find out more about the ‘cheraw’
dance. Do it in your class. But be
careful and don’t hurt yourself.
About three-fourth people in
Mizoram are linked to the forests. Life
is difficult but almost all children go to
school. You can see some of them here,
playfully blowing their leaf whistles! You
too have made many such whistles,
Daman Singh
haven’t you!
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